Theead-cowteollistg device fob sewing machines



Jan. 27, 1931.

F. W. MERRICK THREAD CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES 5. 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.

Jan. 27, 1931. F. w. MERRICK THREAD CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWINGMACHINES Filed Nov. 5, 1925 3 Sheets-Shea?I @lo all Il .lull

Inventor:

51M m. SAM

l Jn. 27, 1931. F, w MERR|K 1,790,591

THREAD CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 3, 1925 sSheets-sheet 5 latented Jan. 27, 1931 FRANK XT. TEERPCK, OF BOSTON,IVIASSACHSETTS THREAD-CONTROLLING DET/*ECE FOR SEWNG MACHINESApplication filed November it l features of the invention, constitutingfa pre^rred form of embodiment, is shown in tte drawirfrs. lt will beunderstood that in .ice theconstruction may be varied more l thedrawings,-

f". l is a view in side elevation of certain portions of a curved needlesewing machine, including' the said illustrative embodiment of thefeatures of the invention, with the eX- ception of the take-up device,`which has been omitted therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a partly7 sectional side elevation showing more aarticularlythe take-up moans, and the thread-grip and tensionmeans, with thedevices in positions which relieve the thread from restraint.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig'. 2 but inhaling' certain parts whichare associated 30 with those just named, with the devices 1n tnopositions assumed during takingnp.

'l j. il is a plan view correspondingl with Fi 5 is a side elevationillustrating maint3 lj .he presser and its controlling mechanism.

The

3, 1925. Serial No. 66,501.

eating work-table or support 8 and controlling and operating mechanismtherefor, and certain other parts and devices.

it portion of work m is shown in certain of the views of the drawings,in place between the work-table or support 8 and the presser fr Asappears in the drawings, the awl 3 is arranged and actuated to penetratefrom above, the work m resting` upon the'v Werl;- table or support andclamped thereto at limes by the presser, while lthe needle 5 is ar-'anged to pass upward into the awl-hole in "he work from below, and todraw a loop of ,lie .needle-thread-y down through the awlhole. In alock-stitch machine such loop is caused to pass around the loop-taker orshuttle 6, in order to become interloeled with the under thread. Thefeeding;` of the work as successive stitches are made is accomplished inthis instance by movement ofthe awl-carvrier and Aawl inthe direction ofthe feed, while the awl is in the work, such movement being transmittedto them through the feedlever 395 engaged with a cam-groovein thecam-hub 393 fixed to cam-shaft 2.

A take-up lever is shown at 20, pivotally mounted to swing in a verticalplane around a center at 201, under the actuation of devices which aredescribedlater herein. tension device is shownat 291, Figs. 2, 3 and il,through which the thread passes between the take-up device and thestitch-forming devices. An adjustable disk tension device of a familiartype is shown, but any suitable form may be substituted in practice. Inthis instance the take-up lever 2O is shown provided, as common inpractice, with two threadengaging rolls 202, 202, (or they might besimple projections,) arranged -for engagement with the needle-thread yat opposite sides (in this instance front and rear) of anintermediately-located roll (or projection) 203 mounted upon a suitablefixed support. The well-known action of a take-up device of this kind isillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and may be referred to as follows: ln Fig.2 the take-up lever is in its cXtreme hread-relieving position; in Fig.3 itis in its extreme taking-up position.

In Fig. 2 the thread y for the time being is free from l im therestraint of the rolls or projections 202, 203, and 202, and extends ina straight line between the roll or projection 203 (above) and the rollsor projections 202, 202, (below). In Fig. 3 the thread is so flexed bythe three rolls or projections that it is fully drawn back from thework, as in completingv and tightening the last formed stitch. As thetake-up arm or lever moves from its position in Fig. 3 'toward that in Fig. 2 it yields up 'he thread g/ so as to accommodate the action i ofthe needle in drawing` a loop of the thread through the work, and theaction ot the looptaker or shuttle in causing the loop to becomeextended around the loop-taker or shuttle. The tension device 291 servesto maintain the thread under light tension between the takeup device andthe stitch-forming devices, as such actions take place, so as thereby toensure that the loop drawn through the. work by the needle shall remainfirmly engaged with the hook of the needle, making certain the entranceof the point of the loop-taker or shuttle into the said loop, and alsoto ensure against accidental release of the loop from the said point.

The irst feature of the present invention consists in improved meansvfor actuating a vibrating take-up arm or lever. proved means utilizesmechanically advantageous lprinciples for transmission of power to thesaid arm or lever from a cam `or other rotating movement-initiatingelement, with a dwell of such arm or lever of relatively prolongedduration at the completion of the taking-up movement; also. with theshock which is incident tothe strain when the take-up yis setting thestitch so absorben as to save the cam or other movement-initiatingelement, and the parts engaging therewith. from wear and strain incidentto such shock. It provides,'still further, for preventing` anvoverthrowot the tallze-up arm or lever thatL is permitted by looseness or play inthe parts 'from producing wear of the rotating` movement-initiating`element and from atiecting the amount of thread taken up in a taking-upaction.

Referring now to the said actuating means in the case of the illustratedembodiment ,ot the features of the invention, the hub 204 of the take-uparm or lever 20 is provided with an arm 205, from which a connectinglink 206 extends to an arm 207 of a lever that is supported. bv a rod orshaft 208, a second arm, 209, of said lever being. provided with acam-follower 210 working in a cam-groove 211 in a cam-disk 212 fixedupon cam-shaft 2.

v(lam-disk 212, with its cam-groove 211, con- Such imlink with such armsin completing a takingup movement et the take-up arm or lever. In theoperation of the mechanism the movement-initia ing cam acts through theassociated elements of the said train to move the take-up arm or leverat one time into the thread-relieving position of F ig. 2, and then fromthe said position toward and into the position in F 3 in which taking-uphas been accomplished, and then from the position of Fig. 3 to that ofFig. 2, and so on.

is the actuating cam actuates the lever 209, 207, from its position inFig. 2 toward its position in Fig. 3, the arm 207 acts through link 206to push the rear arm 205 of the takeup arm or Alever downward in thedrawings, rocking the take-up arm or lever so that the thread-engagingelements 202, 202, are carried past and beyond the intermediate element203, with Herring of the thread around the three elements as in Fig. 3,and correspending` taking-up action. In this latter actuation of theparts the point 213 of pivotal connection between arm 207 and link 206is carried toward a line extending from the axis of lever 209, k207, tothe point ofconnection, 2M, between such link and the arm 205 ot thetake-up arm or lever. This approach ot said point 213 vtoward andapproximately to the said line, or it may be carried slightly past suchline, produces a toggle-action in occasioning the taking-up stroke ofthe takeup arm or lever. Such toggle-action gives the requisite powerfor the actuation of the parts in the taking-up action, withoutinjurious strain upon the lever 209, 207, and without causing undue wearupon the actuating cam; @ther advantages are secured through cen-.strncting the mechanism that in the taking-up action the yjoint at 213between the lever-arm 207 and the link 206 moves toward and into aposition more or less approximately in a straight line with the cen.yers at 208 and 2M. By reason thereof the strain which incident toovercoming the resistance otiiered by the thread as the tightening ofthe last formed stitch nears completion is transmitted along the more orles-s approximately straight line extending between point 212i and therod 'or shaft 208, so that such strain is absorbed by the said rod orshaftand its bearings, without reaching the cam through thepower-receivingz` arm 209 and the cam- Yfollower. This relieves the camand cam- 't'ollower from the shock and from the action which in the caseot' prior mechanisms cause excessive wear and deformation otthat portionthe cam which is in'play during the jjieriod of greater resistance.

Another important result is lthat overthrow oi the take-up arm or leverat the conclusion oi' its taking-up movement, vdue to momentum acquiredby such arm during such movement, is practically eliminated rby reasonofthe tact that such momentum of the said arm or Vlever acts in a directline between pivotal point 21d and the rod or shaft 208 and inconsequence is almost completely absorbed by the vsaid rod or shaft andits bearings, so that there is practically no tendency to springing oflever 209, 207, or to sudden movement, by reason of such momentum', ofthe cam-follower 210 across the camgroove into forcible contact with thewall of such groove at a point opposite the throwpoint of thecam-groove, with resulting Wear of such wall at the point of contact andresult-ing looseness and play of the cam-follower within the groove. Theavoidance of wear of the cam-groove at the said opposite point avertsthe increasing overthrow of the take-up arm that would result from suchwear.

Heretofore in practice a thread-gip has been employed for engagementwith the needle thread closely adjacent the take-up device, between thelatter and the source of threa-:Ll-supply, to prevent thread from beingdrawn from the source of supply by the talreu p device in taking up, inorder thereby to ensnr that such thread as taken up by the taheaipdevice in completing a stitch shall consistA solely of what drawn backthrough the work. Certain of the features of the pi nt invention areassociated with threadgripping means of this class. Accordingly, thedrawings show, more particularly in Figs. l to 4, at the supply-side ofthe thread tale ing-up elements a device which, as heretofore iii someinstances, and as l prefer in practice, is thread-operated to grip thethread g/ at the said side of the said elements, in order to ensure theresult just specified, namely that ysuch thread as is taken up by theaction of the take-up device shall consist solely of what is drawn barkthrough the work. ln the forni shown herein this device comprises, asheretofore some instances, a lever 550i. which is mounted pivotally at2302 upon a stationary part of machine-frame l, and a surface 303adjacent the heel 30% 23) of said lever, between which surface and thesaid heel the thread g/ passes on its way from the source of supply, andthen extends length wise'of the long arm of the lever, within adownwardlyeopeniiig groove in the underside of said long arm. itsheretofore, when the take-up arm 'is actuated to take up the thread,that portion of the thread .vhich engages with die long arm of thegripping lever, and which partalies of the swinging movement of thetake-np arm or lever, ac-

Vtuates the said gripping lever so that the gripping lever turns on itsfulcr im or pivot, causing the. thread to be ci inped between (helever-heeland the opposing surface 303. Sometimes in practice, in theuse of devices of this class, the thread renders so freely from thesupply-side of the gripping lever that in being borne against the leverby the taking-up movement of the take-up lever it does not exertsufficient force thereagainst to cause the heel of the gripping lever togrip andy hold the thread, at first, from which it results that thethread-gripping action is delayed, so that` during the first por-.ion ofthe takingup movement of the take-up lever the thread is still free torender forward from the supply-side past the gripping point.Consequently, the taking-up action is iiicomple e and imperfect, and thestitch-interlock is not drawn the proper distance into the thickness ofthe worlt a2. ln order to remedy this fault, l find it advisable toprovide for yielding ac tiia'tion of tliegripping lever so that when thetakingup action begins tl ere shall be pressure of the lever-heelagainst the surface 503 and the thread intervening between them. Theresult of this pressure is that the leverheel acts one member ofv a.tension-device whereby any movement of the thread onward between thelever-heel and the surface 303 is resisted, from which it follows thatany forward pull on the thread acting at a point beyond the leverfulcrum orpivot produces a tension in the thread. This tension rendersthe thread effective, a-s the take-up lever moves from its position inFig. 2 to its position in Fig. 3, carrying the more or less ltaut threadwith it, to act instantly to actuate the gripping-lever to clamp thethread effectually between the lever-heel andthe opposing surface 303.By reason of this clamping promptly at the beginning of the takingupaction, no portion of the thread can render past the point at which itis arranged that clamping of the thread shall take place.

In this instance, for the yielding actuation of the grip-device to causeit to take a frictional hold upon the thread, I employ an expanding'spiral spring 324, the tension of which acts with a tendency to moveendwise a rod 305 that is engaged with an ear 30G with which thegripping-lever is provided. Thus the spring tends to close together thejaws of the threadgripping device. The rod passes through a guide 307,Fig. 3, in connection with a fixed part of the machine-frame l, thespring being mounted upon the rod behind the bach of the said guide, andbeing confined between such guide and a nut 308 upon the screwthreadedend of the rod, 309'being a. locknut that is associated with nut 308. Byadjustment of the said nuts the springtension may be regulated so as tovary the pressure of the gripping-lever heel upon the thread and therebysecure the desired degree of tension in the thread as it is drawnforward through the tension device; in other words, thereby secure thedesir v`d stitch-forming tension. The relationsand the mode of operationwill be clearly apparent from Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In order to relieve automatically the efllt) ing in this instance alever 310 and a cam feet ,of the tension-device upon the thread atcertain times 1n the working of the machine., relief devices areprovided, compris- 311, Figs. 2 and 3. Such cam is carried by one, 312,of the cam-hubs upon cam-shaft 2. The Vcam aetuates the lever to movethe rod 305 to swing the gripping-lever so as to relieve the pressure ofits heel neen the thread between such heel and the opposing surface 303.To provide for varying the extent to which the said heel is separatedfrom the said surface through the action of the cam, the lever actuatesthe rod 305 through the intervention of a Contact screw 313 that isVcarried by the'lever and acts against one rod-end. Through adjustmentof the screw 313 so as to vary the amount of lost motion between thescrew and the end of the rod, the required ve 1iation in the extent ofthe opening movement may be secured, so as to suit diderent sizes ofthread. A lock-nut 314 is shown in connection with the screw 313, toprevent accidental loss of adjustment.

In the operation of the machine in which the foregoing devices areemployed, the cam 311 aetuates the thread-grip so as to release thethread and thereby relieve the tension of the thread partially duringthe greater part of that portion of the movement of the Vloop-taker orshuttle by which the loop of thread that has been engaged thereby isextended to almost the full diameter of the loop-taker or shuttle.During such period of relief the thread draws readily from the source ofsupply. Hence, excessive strain by such thread upon the material beingstitched during the extension of the loop to pass around the loop-takeror shuttle is obviated. Just before the loop-taker or shuttle has drawnthe loop of thread to its fullest size, that is to say, just before theloop that has been engaged by the point or tip of the loop-taker orshuttle 1s extended around the full diameter of the loop-taker orshuttle, the .tension device is permitted to act. In other words, thespring 324 is permitted to close the heel of the threadgripping leverupon'the thread atsnch time so as to oppose the free advancing movementof the thread. This preliminary closing of vthe thread-gripping leverthrough the action of spring 324 takes place before the taking-up actionbegins. By reason of such time-relation, the gripping lever by itsclosing upon the thread in advance of thek taking-up action operates toprevent any stealing` of thread from the supply-side of the devices atthe beginning of the tailingup action, as a result of slipping of thethread pastsuch lever. Next the take-up operates, and as it acts thethread being thereby given increased tension, the pull of the thread bythe take-up against the long arm of lever 301 as in Fig. 3 causes thethread-grip to function so as to prevent any thread from being drawn bythe take-up from the source of supply as the loop aforesaid is taken upand the stitch is tightened. So far as concerns the operation oftightening a stitch the take-up operates upon only the amount of threadthat the shuttle determined to be necessary in making the stitch. Invirture of the employment of means independent of the take-up device,such means' constituted in this instance by cam 311 and lever 310, forcontrolling theY thread-gripping lever independently of the movements ofthe take-up lever, l am enabled to time the preliminary closing of thethread-gripping lever, and also the subse- `quent opening of the samefor partial yrelief engaging projection 9 moving with the talieup lever,and a .fixed rest 91 over which the needle-thread draws at the rear ofsaid projection. rlhe thread' passes from said rest 91 under the pull-odproj eotion 9 to and through guide 92 behind the thread-grip. In thethread-relieving position of the take-up device the pull-off projection9 is elevated sufficiently to permit the thread to extend in anapproximately direct course from rest 91 to guide 92, as shown in Fig.2, but as the take-up moves to its complete taking-up position,opera-ting` to close the thread-grip morefirmly upon the thread, thepull-olf projection also operates to flex or bend the thread more fully,as in Fig. 3. lnasmuch as at the time when this action takes place thethread is gripped by the grip-device, so that the thread cannot bedrawn' back through the take-up device, this flexing of the threadoperates to draw forward from thedirection of the source of supply theadditional amount of thread that is required for use in the productionof the next ensuing stitch.

For the purpose of releasing the pressure of the heel Vof thethread-gripping device upon the thread, simultaneously with manuallyperformed unlocking of the presser and lifting` of the presser, Iprovide a release lever 80, shown best in Fig. 1, having anuprwardly-extending arm 31 disposed properly for engagement with acollar 82 upon rod 305. The downwardly-extending arm of the said leveris so related to a projection 83 1n conncction with a rod 15 eXtendingto a pedal, hand-lever, or the like, that when rod 15 is moved by theAmachine operator in the proper direction to relieve the presser-lockand lift the presser, the said projection acts against saiddownwardly-extending arm and thereby actuates lever 8() to cause thelatter, through engagement with collar 82, to move rod 305 to swing thethread-grip lever so as to relieve the engagement of its heel with thethread.

The connection of the manually actuated rod 15 with presser unlockingand presser lifting means is illustrated in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. In thesaid views the presser-carrier 71 is shown mounted to rock upon an axisat 72 and actuated by means of a spring 73 for the purpose of moving thepresser toward the work table or support 8 and causing the presser tocooperate with the work table or support in clampingl the work m duringthe penetration of the work by the awl 3, etc. The presser-locking meansshown' in the drawings comprises a. pivoted locking dog 10, arranged toact in conjunction with a segment 101 carried by the presser-carrier, aspring 102 being arranged to act upon the locking dog 10 so as to causeit normally to grip the segment 101 and prevent the presser from movingfarther away from the work table or support. It is usual to employdevices acting during the working of the machine for automaticallyreleasing the pressergrip or lock so as to leave the presser free to belifted to provide for each feed movement. The drawings show a releasecam 103, Figs. 5 and 7, Xed upon a rockshaft 11 mounted in the upperportion of the machine frame. This rockshaft is rocked priorto each feedmovement through suitable connections with a cam on cam-shaft 2. Thedrawings show also means for automatically lifting the presser after ithas been unlocked, such means including a lifting tappet 12, Figs. 1 and5, fixed upon the rockshaft 11 and acting in conjunction with awell-known form of lifting clamp arrangement, represented in Figs. 1 and5, but unnecessary to be described.

The manual unlocking of the presser is provided for in the case of thisembodiment of the invention by means of a second grip release cam, 14,Figs. 6 and 7, mounted loosely upon rockshaft 11 in position to act upongrip-lever 10,v said cam 14 having an arm 141 with which is engaged theupper end of the rod 15. For the purpose of enabling the presser to bemanually lifted, in addition to being manually unlocked as justexplained,

an arm 16, with which the rod 15 is connected also, is articulated withthe presser-carrier by a pivotal joint at 161, the said arm having afinger 162 which projects down alongside the lower portion of thepresser-carrier. The construction permits the automatically producedlifting and lowering of the presser to take place without beinginterfered with by the arm 16, but provides that as the rod 1-5 is moveddownward for the purpose of rocking the release cam 14 to effect manualunlocking of thepresse-r, the nger 162 shallmake contact with thepresser-carrier and rock the presser-carrier in the proper direction tolift the presser. y

What l claim the invention is 1. Take-up mechanism comprising a takeuparm or lever, a rotating movement-initiating element, a lever actuatedby saidelement, and a link through which movement is transmitted fromsaid lever to said take-up arm or lever, with said link cooperatingwithY said parts as a toggle-link which, as the mechanism completes thetaking-np stroke ofthe take-up arm 'or lever, approaches and assumes adwell-relation in which its effec-tive length is substantially inlinewith the center on which the said lever swings.

2. Take-up mechanism comprising a takeup arm or lever, a rotatingmovement-initiating cam, a lever engaged by said cam and actuatedthereby to produce taking-up movement of the vtake-up arm or lever, anda link co-operating with said parts at a toggle-link which, as themechanism completesI the taking-up stroke of the take-up arm or lever,ap-

proaches and assumes a dwell-relation inv which its effective-length issubstantially in line with the centerron which the said lever swings.

3. Take-up mechanism comprising a takeup arm or lever, a lever, meansfor vibrating said lever to thereby cause the same to actuate thetake-up lever, and a link pivoted at one end to an arm of the take-uplever and pivoted at the other end to an arm of the actuating lever,with the parts'relatcd so that in the iinal stage of the taking-upaction the second pivot becomes intermediately alined with the ,irstpivot and the pivotal axis of the actuating lever whereby the reverselyacting strain and reaction occuring in the said final stage are-absorbedby the pivotal mounting of the actuating lever without reaching themeans for vibrating such lever.

4. Take-up mechanism comprising a takeup arm or lever, a lever,means forvibrating said lever to thereby cause the same to actuate the take-uplever, and a link pivoted at one end to an arm of the take-up lever andpivoted at the other end to an arm of the actuating lever, with theparts so related that atjthc completion of the intended travel of thetakeup lever in they taking-up action the eifective length of the linkis in Valignment with the connected arm of the actuating lever, so thatoverthrow of the take-up lever is resisted by the pivotal mounting ofthe actuating lever without being transmitted to the means for vibratingsuch lever.

5. Take-up mechanism comprising a takeup lever, an actuating groovedcam, an intermediate lever having a cam-follower workllO par

ing,l inthe cam-groove of such cani, and a link pivoted at one end to anarm ot" the take-up lever and pivoted at the other end' to an arm of theintermediate lever, with the parts related so that at the conclusion ofthe takingnp action the second pivot moves into alinemeiit with thelirst pivot and the pivotal axis ot the intermediate lever,intermediately thereof, whereby the shock and strain resulting fromoverthrow of the take-up lever are absorbed' by the pivotal mounting` ofthe intermediate lever without reachingl the cam.

6. The combination comprising a take-up device, a device thesiipply-sidethereof which is thread-actuated to grip the thread during thetaking-tip action, and which normally creates tension. in the threadwhereby proniptness lin the gripping action is secured, and meansindependent of the said take-np device wherebythe tensionfprodiiciiigaction is relieved as well as instituted independently of the movementsci' the take-np device.

7. The combination comprising a' take-np device, a device at thesupply-side thereof which is thread-actuated to grip the thread during`the taking-up action and which noi'- inally creates tension in thethread whereby promptness in the gripping actionis secured, and meansindependent of the said take-upv device whereby said combined grip andtension device is actuated intermittingly independently of the movementsof the take-up device to apply and to relieve the tension as theneedle-thread is drawn through the woil in a stitch-forming operation.

8. The combination comprising a take-up device, a device at thesupply-side thereof which` is thread-actuated to grip the thread duringthe taking-up action and' which normally creates tensionV in the threadwhereby promptness in the gripping` action is secured, and manuallyvcontrolled means whereby at the will ot the operator said combined gripand tension device may be actuated to relieve the tension so as to drawnonward. Y

9. The combination comprising a work presser, a take-up. a combinationthread-tensioning device and thread-actuated threadgrip at thesupply-side of said tale-updcvice, and manually-controlled means forconjointly raising the work-presser and actuating said combinationdevice to relieve the tension so as to permit the thread' to be drawnon-v ward.

10.7'fl`ll1e combination comprising a take-up device, a thread-actiiatedtlireadgrip at the snpikily-side of said device, a spring coacting with.said thread-g' ip to cause it to act normally as a thread-tensioning`device, and means independent ot' the said take-up device actinglintermittingly in opposition to said spring' independently of themovements of the taire-up device to Vreleasethe thread and Ypermit itto' i'eiideiiieely past the' conibii'iapermit the thread to be 1 tion,grip and tension device in a stitch-forming operation. A Y y l1. YThecombination comprising a take-up device, a thread-actuated thread-gripdevice at the supply-side of said device, a spring coacting` with saidthread-grip device to cansel it to act normally as atlircacir-tensioningr device, a'nd mannaily-controlled means whereby atthe will of the operator said thread-grip device may be actuated torelease the thread and permit it to be drawn freely past such f torelease the thread and permit it to rend-Ter past the conibili'iationgrip' and tension means in a st'itcli-i'orming'operation.

13. The combination coii'i-pr'ising a take-np device, aL thread-actuatedthread-grip at the supply-side' ofV said device, a spring coacti-ngi'with said thread-grip to cause it te act normally as a thread-tensioningmeans, and a] cam actii-igA iliiterm'ittingly through connect ing-:meansindependent ofsaidtakesup device to release Jehe thread and permit it torender past the combination grip and tension' device in astitch-forming` operation.4

14, The combination comprising vtake-np n'ieaiji's, a thread-actuatedthread-grip device alt the supply-side of said means also acting`normally as a thread-tensioning-'ineans, and a cam and coi'ii'iecti'ngmeans independent of said take-upy means by which intermittingly saididevice is caused to release the threadto permit it to render past thesame in a stitchiiormin ,e1 operation. y

The conibinatiion 'comprising talieaip means, a thread-actuatedthread-grip device at the snpply-side of said means also acting'normali-ly as a tliread;-tei1sioning means, a cam by whichintermittiiigly said device is causedr to release the thread to permitit to render past thesanie institch-forming Yop eratioi'nandi means-lior manually controlling. the said device to release the' thread atthc will of -tlie operator.

16.- The con'ibination coinprisina'` take-np means, a thread-actuatedthread-grip meinn bei' .at the snpliily-side of said means, aVv rodconnected withA said-member, a spring by which saidniember caused tovact normally asa. tensioning device, and anactuating cam and lever actiithrough said rod' to release the threadintermittingly to permit it ltorender past said member ina stitch-,forming oprerat'ion.. p Y

17. The combination comprising taille-np means, Aa t'lire'adlactna'tedt-hre'a'dfgrip'v mein# rie lee Y ber at the supply-side of said means, arod connected with said member, a spring by which said member is causedto act normally as tensioning device, an actuating cam and lever actingthrough said rod to release the thread intermittingly to permit it torender past said member in a stitchtormino operation, and means formanual actuation through said rod to elect release of the thread at theWill of the operator.

18. The combination comprising take-up means, a thread-actuatedthread-gripping lever at the supply-side ot the take-up means, a springby Which said lever is actuated to cause it to act by pressure upon thethread as a thread-tensioning means, a cam, and a lever independent ofsaid take-up means by which said thread-gripping lever is actuated torelease and relieve the thread, and adjustment means for varying theextent of the relief-movement imparted to the thread-gripping lever. Y

19. A sewing machine having a loop-taker or shuttle provided with apoint or tip which in the action ot the loop-taker or shuttle engagesthe loop of thread that has been drawn by the needle through the" workand extends such loop around the loop-taker or shuttle, a take-updevice, a device at th-e supply-side thereof which is thread-actuated togrip the thread during the taking-up action and which normally createstension in the thread whereby promptness in the gripping action issecured, and means whereby the tension-producing action is relievedduring the extension of the loop around the loop taker or shuttle untilshortlyT before arrival of the loop at the full diameter of the looptaker or shuttle, and then such action is permitted to take effect.

20. A sewing machine having a loop-taker or shuttle provided With apoint or tip which in the action of the loop-taker or shuttle engagesthe loop of thread that has been drawn by the needle through the Workand extends such loop around the 1oop-taker or shuttle, a take-updevice, a device at the supply side thereot` which is thread-actuated to`grip thethreadduringthetaling-np action and which normally7 createstension in the thread whereby promptness in the gripping action issecured, and means independent of Jdie said take-np device whereby thetensionprodueing action is relieved during the extension ofthe looparound the loop-taker or shuttle until shortly before arrival of theloop at the full diameter of the loop-taker or shuttle and then suchaction is permitted to take effect.

A sewing machine having a loop-taker or shuttle provided with a point ortip which in the action of the loop-taker or shuttle engages the loop ofthread that has been drawn by the needle through 4the Work and extendssuch loop around the loop-taker or shuttle, a take-up device, means atthe sup ply-side thereof which 1s actuated by the threat in a taking-upaction to grip the take effect.

i FRANK XV. MERRlCK.

